¶'09 WC m800: Mbulaeni Mualadzi 1:45.79

[bhall]

THE FORMCHART
1. Abubaker Kaki (Sudan) ................1:42.69 (’08)
2. Amine Laâlou (Morocco) .............1:43.25 (’06)
3. David Rudisha (Kenya) ................1:43.53 (’09)
4. Asbel Kiprop (Kenya) ...................1:43.17 (’09)
5. Yuriy Borzakovskiy (Russia) ........1:42.47 (’01)
6. Ahmed Ismail (Sudan)..................1:43.82 (’09)
7. Alfred Kirwa Yego (Kenya) ...........1:43.89 (’06)
8. Mohammed Al-Salhi (S Arabia) ...1:43.66 (’09)
9. Gary Reed (Canada) .....................1:43.68 (’08)
10. Youssef Kamel (Bahrain) ...........1:42.79 (’08)

[mojo]

Ha- Gary Reed not even making the finals according to the form chart is a travesty.

World Champs and Olympics FINALS.


(need I add a silver medal by a couple of hundreths at the Worlds)

Both times making the FINALS while other big names faltered.

No doubt that this a very tough field-tougher than the last two champ meets but Gary will make it through.


(I think) :?

[jeremyp]

If Borza can get smart and get into the final, then I think he'll medal. He seems to have given up his running last routine.

[Megas15]

What about Nick Symmonds 1:43.84 in Monaco 09?

[lapsus]

Is it again going to be three semifinals with 2+2 through to the finals? I think that is a big reason why there have been quite a few surprises in recent championships - even strong medal candidates can get their tactics wrong or an unlucky heat with that format.

Time-based qualifying in 800 meters always seems wrong to me - it's fairer in longer distances where more than 8 qualify for the final.

[Alan Shank]

Ha- Gary Reed not even making the finals according to the form chart is a travesty.

It has always seemed odd that they list ten in events with an eight-person final; however, thinking of these as a ranking of their chances rather than a set of place predictions removes the problem.

I really liked to old system of A - almost certain to win, B - good chance to win, C - good chance to medal, D - good chance to place (or something like that).
Cheers,
Alan Shank
Woodland, CA

[cubop]

How about 3 semis with the first 3 onto the final and the two finalists with the slowest qualifying times share a lane.

They do that all the time in big meets anyway.

[bman]

If Borza can get smart and get into the final, then I think he'll medal. He seems to have given up his running last routine.

Yea I'm with you on that. This list is pretty accurate aside from the exclusion of gary reed, but it doesn't reflect the pace that we are likely to see. I suspect we will see something much closer to the 55 first lap a la 07 than some would like.

[Per Andersen]

Ha- Gary Reed not even making the finals according to the form chart is a travesty.

World Champs and Olympics FINALS.


(need I add a silver medal by a couple of hundreths at the Worlds)

Both times making the FINALS while other big names faltered.

No doubt that this a very tough field-tougher than the last two champ meets but Gary will make it through.


(I think) :?

I'm with you on this. What has Reed done to be rated behind 2 Sudanese and 3 Kenyans?

[LopenUupunut]

I'm with you on this. What has Reed done to be rated behind 2 Sudanese and 3 Kenyans?

A much easier question is: what have the 2 Sudanese and 3 Kenyans done to be ahead of Reed?

We have
a) the world leader and bookie favorite (Sudanese)
b) last year's Oly silver medalist who has looked even stronger this year (Sudanese)
c) the defending champion and Oly bronze medalist (Kenyan)
d) Olympic 1500 champion who has looked very strong over the shorter distance as well and is still young and improving (Kenyan)
e) another exciting young talent who has already been ranked #1 in the world by T&FN and has improved since (Kenyan)

Which of these belongs behind Reed?

That said, I except Gary Reed to make the final, and won't be surprised if one (specifically Kaki!) or even more of the above five does not.

[dj]

In one sense, Reed strikes me as the safest bet of all to make the final. But when you start matching him up head-to-head against each of the individuals, he generally fares worse.

The hedging is what keeps him ahead of Symmonds, in spite of the Monaco race.

[Peter Michaelson]

I know that Kamel said he is going to do the 800 too. KD's heat has Kamel and Kiprop. Could make a big difference to KD if Kamel and/or Kiprop are in/out.

[Powell]

Strange schedulling of the program for today. The decathlon 110h is now over, and for over 1 hour there's nothing going on on the track, with only the PV qualifying happening on the field. Surely they could have speeded up the program significantly.

[mojo]

Gary through! Looking very comfortable.

Hope other west coast Canucks got up to watch too!

[eldrick]

I know that Kamel said he is going to do the 800 too. KD's heat has Kamel and Kiprop. Could make a big difference to KD if Kamel and/or Kiprop are in/out.

what fool at the iaaf put these 2 guys together in a heat ?